Julie Zebrak’s Post

In honor of #SexualAssaultAwarenessMonth, I wanted to share my latest blog post discussing book bans targeting content about sexual violence. Censoring content about sexual violence only serves to silence important discussions and perpetuate harmful misconceptions. Let's work towards creating a safe and open environment for survivors to share their stories and for students to learn about this issue. As I wrote, when we ban books on these topics, "[w]e prevent addressing what we need to change as individuals and as a society to end sexual violence. And this means that more kids will get hurt, and more survivors will feel alone."  https://lnkd.in/eMQ58z6Y

The Albanese Labor Government has today launched the Commonwealth Consent Policy Framework to ensure agencies provide young people with consistent messaging about consent, and to support a unified approach to sexual violence prevention across government. The Commonwealth Consent Policy Framework: Promoting Healthy Sexual Relationships and Consent Amount Young People (the Framework) establishes a definition of consent to inform policies, initiatives, and programs for young Australians. Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth emphasised the importance of a Framework to provide organisations with practical advice on how to empower young people to be drivers of cultural change. “Ultimately, our goal is to end violence against women and children in one generation. To do this, we need to support young people to have safe and respectful relationships,” Minister Rishworth said. “Through strong prevention messaging and initiatives that positively shift cultural attitudes around gender-based violence, we can ensure our young people understand how to establish and maintain healthy and safe relationships. #consent #genderbasedviolence

Excited to see the growing emphasis on youth development in Singapore, especially in the realm of sexuality education for youth with disabilities. Positive sex education is not just about addressing the technicalities of growing up, but also about promoting positive sexual practices, combating online misinformation, and fostering healthy attitudes for all - young adults with and without disabilities. During my time at the Disabled People's Association, we developed “DisOrdinary Love” - an award winning programme where consultation sessions, workshops, and pro-bono counselling sessions were held for youth with disabilities, as well as their parents. The programme has continued to develop culturally relevant sexuality education guides and best practices tailored for Singapore. Let's remember, it's never about making sex taboo, but about ensuring everyone has access to the right information. Because knowledge is power, and inclusion is our mission. 💪🏽 #SexualityEducation #YouthDevelopment #Inclusivity #DisabilityAwareness #Empowerment #HealthySexualPractices #SingaporeYouth #DisabilityRights

Check out this new blog post from our Executive Director! In it she writes about the (un)intended consequences of the current legislative push to ban sexual material. Dr. Tenbergen raises concerns that while it may feel good to ban these materials in the name of child safety, in the end it may have the opposite effect of placing children in harm's way. Read on for tips and information on how to fight for a better future for our children. #blog #blogpost #blogpostalert #child #childsafety #childsafeguarding #childsafetyonline #digitalsafety #protectchildren #onlinesafety https://lnkd.in/eCGeQpvt

Although human trafficking affects people across different backgrounds and regions worldwide, women and girls are disproportionately impacted. It's important to highlight that 40 percent of sex trafficking victims in the United States are reported to be Black, despite Black people making up only 13.6 percent of the U.S. population. This significant statistic points to a disturbing trend of disproportionate racial discrimination in sex trafficking in our country, as strongly stated in AAUW's public policy priorities. That's why, in this awareness month for the prevention of human trafficking, we want to recall our panel from last year: 'Leave No One Behind: Combatting Global Human Trafficking'. Gloria L. Blackwell, CEO of AAUW, joined AAUW fellowship expert Dr. Laura Dean, Associate Professor of Political Science, and Director of the Human Trafficking Research Lab at Millikin University. #EndHumanTrafficking #LeaveNoOneBehind https://lnkd.in/e8b3gDgm

Yep, teach children about consent, use plain language, and start early! These new government guidelines outline a sex-positive approach for teaching sexual consent. We think we got it right with the Sexual Safety Series - our video series for young people about sexual safety. Check out the one about consent - there's no milkshakes to be seen! https://lnkd.in/eE75VSSg

Finally, National Human Rights Commission has taken cognizance and has recommended all concerned authorities move from the term Child pornography to Child sexual abuse material i.e., CSAM. What difference does it make, you ask? 1. The shift from "child pornography" to "Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)" signifies a crucial change in how we perceive and address these crimes. Language holds immense power in shaping perspectives, and this change is significant because it accurately reflects the gravity of the issue. 2. The term "child pornography" wrongly implies legality or informed consent, which is absent in cases involving minors. Reframing it as "Child Sexual Abuse Material" brings attention to the fundamental issue: the exploitation and abuse of children. It emphasizes the lack of consent and the severity of the crime, fostering a more accurate understanding of the situation. #childprotection #tacsa #csa #csam

So pleased to see Australia take a national approach to #consent education and prevention of #sexualviolence, aiming to end violence against women and children in one generation by supporting young people to have safe and respectful relationships that prioritise consent. Under the new framework, the term “consent” is defined by five key concepts - namely, that consent is: 1. free and voluntary 2. specific and informed 3. affirmative and communicated 4. ongoing and mutual 5. reflects the capacity of individuals. “Through strong prevention messaging and initiatives that positively shift cultural attitudes around gender-based violence, we can ensure our young people understand how to establish and maintain healthy and safe relationships." Minister of Social Services Amanda Rishworth. The messaging was informed by experts and those with lived experience. Full details in this great overview of the framework by Olivia Cleal of Women's Agenda. Commonwealth Consent Policy Framework: Promoting Healthy Sexual Relationships and Consent Among Young People  #prevention #safety #respect #violenceprevention

Content Warning: Sexual Violence Content Highlight: Hope and Youth Activism I am incredibly proud of the work done by Genna Hawkins-Boulton and the Let's Talk Consent team. Earlier this month, Let's Talk Consent released its report on Youth Experiences of Sexual Violence in Aotearoa. In May 2022, Let’s Talk Consent co-founder Genna Hawkins-Boulton issued a call through Instagram for young people's stories about consent education and sexual violence. The response was overwhelming, with over 300 testimonies received from across Aotearoa New Zealand. Using these stories, Genna has compiled this report to amplify the voices of young people in Aotearoa, ensuring their experiences are heard and advocating for meaningful change in our consent education system. The report calls for two key components: ✅ Responding to disclosures of sexual violence by revising guidelines, creating specialist-informed disclosure policies, and training school staff to better support survivors. ✅ Promoting a consent culture in schools by making consent education compulsory, collaborating with experts to enhance our curriculum, and introducing a system to evaluate consent culture in schools. These are important changes, as currently there are systemic failures in schools to respond to incidences of sexual harassment, abuse and assault, You can read the full report by going to https://lnkd.in/gWxvdmDF

Why do we hide under the rug something that is not our fault? You are not to be blamed if you were assaulted in any way. 1 in 10 South Asians in America have experienced Sexual Assault (SA) of some form.  A survey of South Asian adults, born both abroad and in the US, found that 25% of respondents experienced child sexual abuse and 41% of respondents witnessed parental violence in their homes. In marriages, sexual assault come in three ways... (a) marital rape and sexual assault, (b) sexual control through manipulation of reproductive rights, and (c) sexual control through the construction of the "sexual other." Paranoid thoughts and accusations often followed by sexual assault If you know someone who has spoken to you about these kind of abuses please guide them toward the right resources. Personal Resources: A Trauma therapist, Family Law, Turn around INC. Baltimore MD coalition against SA Professional Resources: Human resource in your company and attorneys  National SA hotline: 1-800-656-4673 April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). It would be great if  communities  to came together to talk openly about sexual violence to support survivors, increase knowledge and awareness, and identify strategies and resources to prevent sexual violence.  #sexualassaultawarenessmonth #saam #sexualassaultprevention #spreadawareness #sexualassault #mentalhealth #traumarecovery #standtogether #metoo